INFLUENCE OF OXIDATION ON THE WEAR OF ALLOYS

Wear is defined as a set of adhesion, transfer, abrasion, fatigue and oxidation. Sliding wear is influenced significantly by factors like heat, friction and oxidation of the metal or the alloy surface. This causes the decrease in the wear rate due to which the metallic debris may change to oxide debris. This research paper focusses on methods which account for generation of oxide during sliding and the effects of these oxides on the wear. This work also covers high speed unidirectional sliding where the frictional heat has a significant effect on surface temperatures. Wear is caused mainly due to spallation of oxide from asperities which in turn occur when the oxide attains a critical thickness. At high speed the oxide melts due to increase in surface temperature which leads to oxidational wear. On the other hand at low speed the oxidized metal debris is retained thereby giving a wear protection